epilogue, Katniss and Peeta have two children together. It is implied by Katniss that Peeta wanted to have children first and took around 5–15 years to persuade Katniss to start a family. He still has moments where his hijacking will try to take over again, causing Peeta to clench onto something until the attempt passes. Characterization Peeta is the same age as Katniss, making him 16 years old in The Hunger Games and 17-18 in Catching Fire and Mockingjay. Peeta is of "medium height, stocky build" and has "ashy blond hair that falls in waves over his forehead." He has blue eyes. He is "broad-shouldered and strong." Part of Peeta's left leg was amputated following the 74th Hunger Games, forcing him to walk with the aid of a prosthetic leg for the rest of his life. In the 2012 film adaptation, his leg is never amputated. Peeta is repeatedly described as charming, generous, kind and likable, and possessing a self-deprecating sense of humour. He first confuses and later inspires Katniss with his determination to maintain his identity while inside the arena and his refusal to become a "piece" in the Capitol's game. An accomplished painter and baker on account of working in his family's bakery his whole life (Suzanne Collins named the character Peeta because "Pita" is a kind of bread), Peeta also excels at hand-to-hand combat, camouflage, handling knives, and starting fires. Peeta also has a remarkable talent for speaking to crowds. People tend to "embrace everything he says." Not only is he initially responsible for making the Capitol fall in love with Katniss, Katniss herself says Peeta would be invaluable to the revolution because of his ability "to turn his pain into words that will transform people." Critical reception Entertainment Weekly said Peeta, as well as Gale Hawthorne, were "thinly imagined". MTV listed five reasons why Peeta is "badass", and that "Peeta gives [Katniss] a run for her money in the coolness category". Film On March 23, 2011, Lionsgate began casting the role of Peeta for the film of The Hunger Games. According to The Hollywood Reporter, contenders for the role included Josh Hutcherson, Alexander Ludwig (later cast as Cato), Hunter Parrish, Lucas Till, and Evan Peters. On April 4, 2011, Lionsgate announced that Hutcherson would play the role. References External links Peeta Mellark on IMDb Action film characters Adventure film characters Fictional amputees Fictional artists Fictional bakers